Wednesday 2 July 2014

Butterflies and a Flycatcher on the Caledonian Canal

In just a f few days in Fort Augustus we experienced warm, cold, wet, dry and sunny weather!

Monday was a rather dull but humid day.  We did a long 10 mile hike to Aberchalder on the tow path between the canal and the River Oich.  Butterflies and birds everywhere.  The birds we could identify, but the butterflies.......

Here's the pics - if anyone out there knows what they are, please leave a comment to educate me!

This one opened it's wings below and showed us the colour

And then this one fluttered by.  (Behind an infuriating bit of grass!)
Two miles from the end of this walk the heavens opened and we were absolutely soaked!  I protected my camera and binoculars under my coat, but I was wet through!  But I had to call into the Bothy Bar at the locks for a pint of Loch Ness's best real ale!

On Tuesday morning, just as we were leaving the campsite, I noticed this Spotted Flycatcher.  Guess what it was doing?

Spotted Flycatcher perching on post
Getting ready to fly
Diving for its prey
Swooping
And eating its reward!
All a bit un-sharp, but the photos captured the moment!

2 comments:

  1. Hi Seamus,
    First time on the blog pages for me.... absolutly love the butterfly images especially the top one. looks like a winner. Big Dave.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Dave - it means even more coming from the man with that fantastic winning squirrel photograph!

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